minirie: i'm literally so excited for her matches, too~ it's something i've been so eager to write for so long! i agree 100% , ehe ❤ that "Taru" really was something. (´ ∀ ` *) thank you so much! i'm trying my best for sure. i hope you enjoy this chapter!
winddemon199: thank you ! you read that right, too ! and yeah .. it is disappointing not going to lie. o(TヘTo) , i had to make some adjustments to canon events for my plot to work out, sorry about that. (>﹏<) but don't worry Kaminari is staying ! i love him too much, aha. i hope you enjoy this chapter!
LadyAmazon: she really is going through so much (。╯︵╰。) ❤ , you're absolutely right about that. nobody seems to give her a break. Hotaru appreciates your support endlessly and so do i! i hope you enjoy this chapter !
bbymojo: you're so welcome ~ ! (* ^ ω ^) i mean every word, haha. ❤ i'm touched! yay, chapter highlights! Shinso and Hotaru definitely made a huge improvement here, and it'll for sure impact their future interactions ❤ as for Shoto and Hotaru, yeah things are getting pretty bumpy between them. his stress with his father isn't helping, and Hotaru is starting to get fed up with him bc of that. he'll definitely have to apologize to her properly. will he do it? that drawing was for a future chapter, so... probably? ╮( ˘ 、 ˘ )╭ , haha ! 。゚( ゚^∀^゚)゚。 and yes Hotaru is so hard on herself it's sad. hopefully she'll come out of this sports festival stronger than ever ! i think she will. i hope you enjoy this chapter ! i enjoyed writing this one, but i'm enjoying writing this next one even more! things are getting exciting ~ ! thank you for being awesome ! seriously, sending you tons of virtual hearts, too! ❤
Oblivious IJ: it sure ain't. *desperately patches the holes in their ship* .。・゚゚・(>_<)・゚゚・。.
Lavi-hime 4E -3: my heart is hurting for her too (。•́︿•̀。) he should apologize soon... with flowers. ehe, next chapter for you ❤
Emocean: aahh, i'm so happy you enjoyed it! i hope so too ~ and i'm sure she will ! she's so strong but she doesn't even realize it! thank you a ton ! ❤ i hope you enjoy this chapter ! cheers!
pinkpaladin: eheh (≧◡≦) she definitely wasn't expecting people to team up with her, ha. writing her interactions with everyone is so fun, and i'm so happy you enjoyed it ! next chappy for you ~ ! ❤ i hope you enjoy!
•○●○•
hi, everyone!
my spring break is here, yay ~ !
and the tulips in my yard are starting to pop out of the ground, too. i'm so happy. (you guys make me happier, though) (ノ´ з `)ノ
but, the bugs are coming back which is sad. (。╯︵╰。) , but, that's life.
as always, i appreciate you all. thank you for reading, and i'm so happy to be able share my writing with you!
please, take care of yourselves! stay healthy. viruses are going around .. :(
drink lots of water and wash your hands. ❤
i'm sending love to everyone ! we're in this together !
•○●○•
i really enjoyed writing this chapter, and i hope everyone enjoys reading it!
i apologize for any errors you may come across.. ya'll know i always miss some mistakes, aha. (ノ_<。)
anyways, please, enjoy ~ !
❤•○●○•❤
Sham
❤•○●○•❤
Gradually, Hotaru starts to fall forward. Before she hits the ground, her body jerks upright and she gasps. Her silver eyes fly open, and she blinks numerous times in bewilderment. She lets out a jaw-stretching yawn, rubbing at her eyes. She's still sitting on the floor. Did she really fall asleep? Or, was she just on the verge of it?
She looks over at the hanging wall clock, seeing that it's only fifteen minutes into the lunch break. She should hurry and get something to eat before time is up. That's what she thinks to herself, at least. Honestly, food doesn't sound good to her at all. Her appetite is nonexistent. Even though she's not hungry, she should at least get something to drink.
Her fingers brush against the ground and she pushes herself up. Once she's on her feet, she stares at the glove her hand is still confined in and the wrappings on her arm. Carefully, she removes them and walks over to set them on the table. She should probably return these to Yaoyorozu. Most likely she doesn't have a need for these, but she should ask before throwing them out on her own accord.
It feels good to no longer be confined by her quirk's worst enemy. Suddenly, she raises her hand in front of her face and her eyes narrow slightly. Sparks emit from her palm and she flexes her fingers.
Speaking of her quirk, she was able to change the trajectory of it for the first time ever. It feels weird being able to do something new. She's sure it was only a spur of the moment type of thing combined with desperation, but surely she can manage to do that again. She'll ponder over it some more later.
Before she turns to leave, she stares at her phone resting upon the tabletop. The sleek screen is pitch black and no notification light is flashing. She picks it up and powers it on, feeling a small surge of disappointment. She was expecting to at least see some messages from Daichi. However, she smiles slightly as a thought strikes her. Did he misplace his phone again?
Shaking her head, she sets her phone back down and heads towards the door. She turns the doorknob and pushes it open. She looks over her shoulder one last time before closing the door behind her. It's only when she starts walking down the hall when her phone starts to blow up with notifications.
As she walks, her hands shove themselves into her pockets. Her eyelids lower slightly when Shoto's heterochromia eyes suddenly flash before her. She really can't believe he's getting to her this much. It's frustrating. But, what's frustrating her the most is how she's letting him get to her.
She rounds a corner followed by another. She even passes by a staircase. Suddenly, she raises her hand and fiddles with some strands of her hair. If she's being honest with herself, she has absolutely no clue where they are serving lunch at.
The moment she turns down a random hall, she bumps into someone giant. Someone giant and burning hot. If she wasn't accustomed to heat thanks to her much hotter lightning, she's sure she would've been burned. Sweat forms on her temple when she looks up into glaring turquoise eyes.
"Watch where you're going, villain!" He barks at her.
For a few more seconds, she only continues to stare at him. His flames flicker violently, and her eyes narrow the tiniest bit. He's making her current bad mood even worse. Looking away from him, she mutters.
"Sorry."
She starts to step around him until he moves and blocks her path. Slowly, she expressionlessly meets his eyes once more. His glare is far more intense than just earlier. Did her apology set him off?
"Did you forget my warning?" He growls out, livid.
His warning? Oh. He's talking about Shoto. Is he dumb? Shoto is the one who asked her to team up with him. Shoto is the one who grabbed her wrist earlier to drag her away from him. She's not the one making contact with him first. Well, at least from what he's seen.
"Sorry." She apologizes again. "It did slip my mind. I'll make sure I won't forget this time."
"An apology from a villain such as yourself means nothing to me. Don't even look at my masterpiece."
"Your… masterpiece?" She utters, her head lowering just enough so a shadow falls over her face.
His words make her reminisce how her father always calls her "his prodigy." It seems Shoto has to put up with that same nonsense. Her fingers curl into tight fists. How disgusting. She keeps her glaring eyes downcast.
"I hope you meant to say, 'your son.'" She speaks in monotone. "You sounded like you were referring to a tool of some sorts. Your son is a person, and all individuals have their own feelings and aspirations. You should respect that."
"What would you know about respect? A villain such as yourself with bloodied hands? A murderer such as yourself trying to be a hero? You're nothing but a sham." His flaming form towers over her in a threatening manner. "Don't forget that."
He shoves his way past her, making her stumble on her feet. He made sure he got the last word. Her lips are parted as she stares at her feet, her curled fingers slowly straightening out. A… sham? Her shoulders quiver and she lets out a laugh, hunching forward as she does. If she's a sham, what does that make him?
She has so much to say to him right now. So much to say. Her flesh is staticky and she's completely infuriated. She's losing it. At least she's compassionate. At least she actually thinks of the well-being of others. After all, she genuinely cares about Shoto more than he's ever had. Even when he's an asshole. It's frustrating, but damn. She still can't just disregard him. Anyone for that matter. She could never treat anyone as insolently as this man treats Shoto, unless they give her a worthy reason to.
"What's so funny, villain?" Endeavor speaks in a low and dangerous tone, having turned around when she began laughing hysterically.
She wants to tell him what's so funny, but she doesn't find him worth wasting her breath on. She's going to keep this hilarious encounter to herself and think back to it often. Every time she thinks back to this moment, she'll be reminded of what a prick the Number Two Hero is.
She merely waves him off from over her shoulder, continuing on her way while still giggling to herself. Not getting an answer makes him even more furious and he roars loudly. Her lips curve upwards as she suddenly feels proud of herself. Holding her tongue like that was actually quite hard.
The refreshing breeze caresses her face as she steps outside, and the sunlight greets her just as lovingly. There are many food and game stands neatly aligned, and in the near distance she spots a building many students are gathered around. That must be where the cafeteria is. She makes a beeline towards it, passing by many pro heroes as she does. However, she tries not to make eye contact with them.
She steps into the cafeteria full of all the first-year students. Surprisingly, it doesn't look that much different than the main school cafeteria. Her eyes scout the area for anyone she knows. The two people she spots make her smile and run over. Of course, they notice her right away.
"Taru-chan!" Kaminari waves at her. She comes to a stop in front of him, grabbing onto his hand.
"Kaminari-kun!" She beams brightly, happy to see him. However, she's soon frowning. "What happened to you? I thought you were doing well in the obstacle course, but I didn't see you in the cavalry battle…"
"Yeah," He begins a little sheepishly. "About that—"
"Taru-chan!" Mineta whines loudly, holding his hand out to her. "What about me?"
"I see you, Mineta-kun." She smiles and holds onto his hand, too. She looks back at Kaminari. "So, what happened?"
"Let's sit." He sighs.
In little to no time at all, the three of them are sitting at a table together. The two boys have their own trays of food while Hotaru decided to settle with just ice water. She's sitting between them. She takes a sip from her glass before setting it atop the table, gazing at Kaminari curiously.
"I was doing really good. Well, not the best. But, good enough." He begins, and she nods. "I managed to stay in twenty-fourth place for nearly the entire time. Until she appeared."
"She?" Hotaru tilts her head in confusion. He suddenly points across the cafeteria and at a girl with long green hair. Green hair that's actually made up of vines.
"She's cute, isn't she?" He asks, making her look back at him with a dull expression.
"Don't tell me you got distracted by her visuals or something."
"No!" He quickly denies that, stabbing his beef with his fork. "This is what happened…"
•
Kaminari balances across the thin rope of The Fall as quickly as possible. He thought the zero-point faux villains were overkill, but this second barrier is proving otherwise. He's nearly across until a shadow passes over his head.
He looks up, squinting against the sunlight. An angelic girl with vines for hair is passing over him. She had used her hair to launch herself over to the next pillar instead of taking the time to balance on the ropes.
She lands on the pillar he's nearly about to make it to. However, she loses her footing. With a gasp, her vines extend and become rooted into the ground before she falls over the edge. She steadies herself, successfully. When her vines pull out of the ground, it takes a tiny chunk of the pillar with it. That tiny chunk happens to be holding the rope Kaminari is atop of. He starts to fall with a cry, and she turns around with tears in her eyes.
"Please, forgive me! This was not my intention!" She weeps, trying to reach for him although he's too far away. Not even her vines will be of use since he's already plunged so deeply into the shadows. "I hope that you will find peace…"
•
Once Kaminari finishes his story, Hotaru can only stare at him with wide eyes. She blinks a few times, replaying his story over and over again in her head. It sounds like he had an encounter with an angel. An unfortunate and unlucky encounter. She looks over at the vine girl.
"Yeah." Kaminari sighs heavily, clenching his fists. "I was so frustrated. I'm still frustrated. But, if failing was my destiny, I'm happy she was the one to make me fail."
"You're lucky, Kaminari." Mineta nods, agreeing with his words. Hotaru looks between the two of them with a raised brow. How they are satisfied with this… is concerning.
"I just hope I don't get kicked out of the hero course…" Kaminari suddenly speaks in a sad tone, making her heart drop into the pit of her stomach.
She shakes her head instantly at that, turning in his direction with a consoling smile. Her eyes radiate a calmness like no other, and his cheeks darken when she leans closer to him.
"You won't get kicked out of the hero course. I know you won't. Because you're Denki Kaminari!" She begins with an even more captivating smile. "You didn't make it to the next round, but don't worry. I doubt these heroes would kick you out just because of your placement. I'm sure they focus primarily on your performance, and you did great. Let's not forget the many great things you already achieved in the hero course, too. So, Kaminari-kun,"
Her eyes shut briefly, and when they reopen they are sparkling brightly. He becomes breathless and Mineta gawks in jealousy, wishing she was looking at him like that instead. She places her hand on his shoulder, giving him a gentle and encouraging squeeze.
"Don't worry. You're not going anywhere. You're staying in Class A. Besides," She laughs. "As if I would let anyone steal my friend away from me."
"Taru-chan!" Kaminari cries out with tears in his eyes.
Without warning, he brings his arms around her for a tight hug. She gasps at his actions and a pink dusting spreads across her cheeks. It's almost not present, but she can feel him quivering. He must've been very worried. Before long, her eyelids lower and she brings her arms around him too with upward curved lips. Mineta screeches so loudly the entire cafeteria takes notice.
"You're the best. Seriously." He whispers, and she shakes her head.
"I wouldn't say the best. But, thank you." She laughs a bit when they pull back.
"Why do you always talk down on yourself?" He frowns deeply at her, making her blink. "You really are amazing."
"It's true, Taru-chan." Mineta agrees with Kaminari, his tiny arms hugging her close next.
This is the third time someone referred to herself as amazing today. As a result, her expression softens, and she stares into her glass of water in an almost wistful manner. She really is touched, and she really does always degrade herself.
She should stop doing that. However, it's hard when there's so many people who think so lowly of her. She hasn't forgotten about the people who support her though. It's just she simply can't forget about the negative people too, just like she can't forget about her past. Endeavor's words didn't help her with that either.
"Sorry." She apologizes softly. "I'm trying to see what you guys see. That's my goal right now—to see all the good things in me that you and everyone else can. I guess I still have some ways to go."
"You can do it…" Mineta coos, his finger poking at her waist. "I know you can…"
She looks at him mutely, and he looks up into her eyes that are flashing dangerously at his actions. He draws back from her in fright and Kaminari snickers, resting his elbow atop the table.
"You're too hard on yourself. I don't really get it, honestly." He says.
"I know." She sweat-drops, and suddenly, he grins.
"Anyways," He starts up smoothly. "Me and you. Movies. What do you say?"
"Hold on a second!" Mineta blurts, jabbing a finger at him. "I'm going too!"
The two of them suddenly start bickering back and forth about who's worthy of going to the movies with her. She looks between them both with a small pout, nonchalantly sipping her water. She doesn't understand why they all can't go to the movies together. Either way, just their presence in general makes her lips curl upwards.
She's happy she's sitting with them right now. They really improved her mood just now and took her mind far away from where it previously was. Perhaps it's only temporary, but she's going to immerse in this happiness regardless.
"Oh, right." Kaminari suddenly faces her seriously. "You heard about the cheer battle that's going to happen, right?"
"Cheer battle?" She repeats with furrowed brows.
"Yeah." Mineta points across the room, leading her to stare at sparkling American cheerleaders running about. "They said everyone has to wear those clothes to do a cheer battle."
"...Seriously?" Hotaru grows slightly pale at that. "What's the point of that? Are you…?" Her eyes glare at them as she feels skeptical. "Are you messing with me?! There's no way that's a thing!"
"But, it is." Mineta calmly shakes his head. "It's a U.A. Sports Festival tradition."
"It's the truth." Kaminari affirms. "Just ask Yaoyorozu. She knows all about it."
"N-No way…" Hotaru wraps her arms around herself tightly, her cheeks growing warm. "That's… it makes no sense… Why?!"
While she's panicking, Mineta and Kaminari exchange an evil thumbs up.
•○●○•
"This is actually happening? I actually have to put this on?" Hotaru inquires dreadfully when Yaoyorozu hands her a cheer uniform.
Currently, her along with the rest of the Class A girls are in the locker room, swapping out their gym uniforms for these cheer ones. Everyone is putting it on, even Yaoyorozu. This cheer battle must be a real thing. However, she still can't wrap her head around it.
"Yes." Yaoyorozu sighs, seeming disgruntled by this like herself. "Apparently Aizawa-sensei mentioned it."
"T-This is stupid!" Jiro cries out, holding the uniform in disgust.
"It might be fun!" Hagakure spins around happily, already dressed in the cheer outfit and shaking her pom-poms.
"I hope so…" Uraraka smiles a little unsurely.
"Either way, let's try our best!" Ashido pumps her fist in the air.
"Kero…" Asui croaks miserably.
"Well, whatever." Hotaru mumbles, pulling her shirt up and over her head which leaves her in her sports bra. "It can't be helped. Are the guys cheering too? It's only fair."
"I would assume so." Yaoyorozu tilts her head as she speculates, adjusting her orange top. "Or, I wonder if we'll be cheering for them. The Sports Festival is also made up of recreational activities."
"I see…" Hotaru whispers, folding her shirt thoughtfully.
These recreational activities must be more about having fun than appealing to the Pro Heroes. Thinking of it that way makes this cheer battle make more sense. The first thing that comes to mind is rock climbing, but knowing U.A., these recreational activities probably won't be the typical ones.
She holds the cheer top up in front of her. It's revealing, but not to the point it'll show off anything that she doesn't want to put on display. Even so, she tilts her head back and sighs. This whole cheer battle is disappointing.
With pursed lips she puts the fitted top on, "U.A." now written across her chest. She puts on the short skirt next followed by the knee socks and matching choker. Once she slides on her pink tennis shoes she stops in front of the mirror, placing her hands on her hips as she studies her reflection.
This orange and green outfit leaves her whole midriff exposed, and shows off the majority of her thighs and the entirety of her arms. She's officially a cheerleader. Her lips downturn and she wraps her arms over her midsection, not being a huge fan of showing so much skin. She looks too much like a certain someone.
"You look pretty, Taru-chan!" Hagakure skips over to her.
"I look like my mom." Hotaru whispers, hesitantly letting her arms hang at her sides.
"Kero," Asui looks over, her finger against her chin. "A little. But, it's not bad."
Hotaru looks over at the frog-like girl with widened eyes, her hand moving over her chest. Her heart staggers at her words. It's not bad? Her whole life people always told her how much she looks like her parents. Back when the press was going crazy at the front gates of school, they cruelly compared their appearance to theirs. Just taking a look at her face, her eyes especially, people instantly think of her parents. In her younger years she was referred to as a "man girl."
"Right." Yaoyorozu agrees with a kind smile. "It's not bad at all. It's only natural we take after our parents. But, we don't take after them completely. Aihara-san, you have your own unique image."
"You look like Hotaru!" Hagakure cheers energetically, making her silver eyes widen further.
"Yeah!" Uraraka agrees, running over. "You look like you!"
"Even though you do share some features with your parents," Jiro begins with slightly red cheeks as she takes in Hotaru's undeniably beautiful form. "You totally rock those features better than they do."
"So, don't even compare yourself to them, even if it's just a little." Ashido beams, bringing her hands down onto Hotaru's shoulders, shaking her back and forth. "Be confident in yourself!"
"You're amazing, Taru-chan." Asui nods with a lopsided smile.
"Beautiful, too." Yaoyorozu speaks genuinely.
Gradually, Hotaru's irises shrink as all the air in her lungs is knocked out. She stares at the ground that's growing more blurry by the second. Her hand falls away from her chest, her arms limply hanging at her sides.
"...Beautiful?" She repeats that single word, the world around her falling away.
•
"Sho, am I—?"
"Don't listen to them!" Shoto quickly cuts her off, gazing into her eyes sincerely. "You're beautiful. So, don't listen to them!"
•
That single word, their words, they resonate so deeply. They make her think back to when she was first called "beautiful." They overwhelm her in a way she's not sure whether to describe as good or bad. Seriously, what the hell? Just what are they trying to do? She doesn't know how to react. When she doesn't know how to react like this, the most pathetic thing happens—she starts to cry.
She lowers her eyelids over her glassy eyes. How many more times today is she going to be on the verge of tears? Tears of frustration, tears of sadness, and now tears of happiness. Her lips curve upwards right when a warm trail glides down her cheek. Happy tears is something she doesn't mind shedding. In moments when she's speechless like now, they convey her unspoken words.
"T-Taru-chan?!" Uraraka begins in panic, noticing the tears falling down her face.
"Are you alright?" Yaoyorozu asks, startled as well. "Hold on, let me get some tissue."
Ashido and Asui move to help Hotaru sit down on the nearby bench. Hagakure pats her back when Yaoyorozu returns with a box of tissue. Hotaru wordlessly and thankfully takes the soft cloth, burying her face in it with a gentle laugh. A couple silent minutes go by before she finally speaks.
"Sorry. You guys are just…" She snivels. "Too nice?"
"More like you're too sensitive." Jiro sighs heavily, smirking afterwards. "Learn how to take a compliment."
Hotaru lowers the tissue from her tear stained face with a small smile. She stares at the damp cloth, her eyelids lowering slightly. Accepting compliments is something she needs to get better at. Although, that's not the primary reason she reached this point.
"Actually," She begins honestly. "I'm just grateful. I haven't been having the best day, and you all just made it so much better. I'm really happy to have friends like you. Thank you… for putting up with me."
"Aw~!" Hagakure plops down next to her, holding onto her tight. "We're happy to have you as a friend too~! We should hang out after school! And go shopping!"
"Oh!" Ashido raises her hand into the hair happily. "I vote sleepover!"
"That sounds fun." Asui smiles with a nod of approval.
"Yes!" Yaoyorozu suddenly grins widely, sparkles surrounding her flawless form. "I've always wanted to have a sleepover. I'll make preparations right away! Please, everyone, let me know a date that works for you."
"Yay!" Everyone throws their arms into the air as they cheer.
Instantly afterwards, everyone gasps and looks at Hotaru with exceedingly wide eyes. Slowly and with warm cheeks, Hotaru lowers her hands from the air and rests them in her lap. Her eyelashes flutter as she blinks rapidly and numerous times, feeling skittish all of a sudden.
"W-What?" She stutters out. "Was I too loud?"
"I've never seen you get so excited before." Uraraka gawks.
"It's a little weird. But, it's not bad." Asui says.
"No offense, but I didn't know you were capable of getting excited like that." Jiro utters with an agape mouth.
"You're always so proper it's kind of intimidating." Ashido muses aloud. "And when you're not proper you're intimidating."
"Huh?" Hotaru pouts as she leans towards her. "So, does that mean I'm always intimidating?"
"But just now you were cute!" Hagakure says with a smile evident in her tone. "You're really cute, Taru-chan~!"
"T-Thank you." Hotaru mumbles, bringing her hand to the back of her neck.
She shifts slightly when Hagakure leans into her with a giggle, and that shift in her position makes her catch sight of her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes are instantly drawn to her frizzy mess of hair and she raises her hand towards it.
"Does anyone happen to have an extra hairband?" She asks. "I'll make sure to return it to you."
"I do." Yaoyorozu smiles, and Hotaru can't help but sweat-drop when she literally creates one.
"Thank you." She takes it gratefully. "Sorry for the trouble."
"It's not a problem at all." She waves her off, then doing a head tilt. "Aihara-san, your quirk makes your hair frizzy, doesn't it?"
"Mhm." She nods as she tries to gather all of it with her hands. "It's pretty embarrassing."
"Did you know there was a hair product that can prevent that?" She inquires, making Hotaru freeze from head to toe.
It takes a while for her words to click, and she can almost swear she was just hearing things. In a flash, she turns to Yaoyorozu with bright silvery eyes, grinning from ear to ear.
"Is there really? I thought there had to be one out there, but I wasn't sure, and I could never find it. Where can I get—?"
Her words come to an abrupt halt when Yaoyorozu holds out a white bottle with a bright yellow lightning bolt in the middle. Carefully, she grabs onto it in somewhat of a daze. It's a hair mask infused with organic ingredients.
"This…" She murmurs, slowly looking back up at Yaoyorozu in awe.
"It's a product made exclusively for those with electric-based quirks." She explains blissfully. "It is quite hard to find, and it's sold at a high price. There is a shop downtown that sells beauty products such as this for all kinds of quirk-users." She beams. "You can have this."
"No way." She breathes out. "Seriously? Thank you! How much was this? Let me pay you back."
"It cost nothing." Yaoyorozu does a rather dramatic hair flip. "I created it myself."
"That's so cool." Uraraka stares at the bottle with an agape mouth and rose dusted cheeks. It looks like she's staring at something sacred, and she may as well be. "It's so upper class!"
"Let's try it out." Ashido gently takes the bottle from Hotaru. "Can I do your hair, Taru-chan?"
"Can I help too?" Hagakure blurts in excitement.
"Oh." Hotaru looks to the ground with a shy smile. "S-Sure."
Everyone crowds around her for the sole purpose to do her hair and engage in friendly chit-chat. If she felt happiness with Kaminari and Mineta earlier, can this moment be called pure bliss? She never thought she would have a bunch of girlfriends like this. It feels too surreal to be true. If she really is dreaming, she doesn't want to wake up—at least that's what she claims until she sees her hair.
"I don't like it. Take it out." She speaks in a villainous tone.
"But it's cute!" Hagakure whines.
"Don't like it."
"Well, that's too bad." Ashido grabs onto her hand, pulling her onto her feet. "Now, let's go!"
"H-Hey!" Hotaru cries out when she's dragged away against her will.
•○●○•
"Huh?" Aizawa does a double take. "What are they doing?"
"What's the matter, Class A? What kind of fanservice is that?!" Present Mic yells.
Shoto naturally looks over at the sudden commotion, and he finds the cause of it instantly. His eyes grow wide. Seriously, what are they doing? They stand out like sore thumbs, especially her. He can't seem to tear his eyes away.
She's standing there, dressed as a cheerleader and holding bright yellow pom-poms. Her hair, no longer frizzy and now embellished with a healthy shine, is tied up in pigtails with white ribbons. Her dark curly tresses flutter in the breeze and the shorter strands frame her faultless face. Bit by bit, her lips part.
At a slow pace, she lowers her pom-poms so they hang by her perfectly pinched waist. Her silver eyes take in her surroundings. No one else here is dressed in a cheer outfit. It's only her and her friends. Why?
"What?" She murmurs to herself. Present Mic, did he say "fanservice?"
Fanservice…?
"Mineta-san! Kaminari-san! You tricked us, didn't you?!" Yaoyorozu yells furiously, waving her pom-poms around with popping veins.
Hotaru shifts her weight, her head tilting leisurely at different angles as she thinks to herself. She thinks she understands what's happening. No, she knows what's happening. She just doesn't want to believe it. There's no cheer battle at all. She's standing here and showing so much skin for no reason at all. There are countless eyes on her. Perverted eyes. She's just an entertainment prop. Her day has returned to being awful.
Her vision zooms in on Kaminari and Mineta across the stadium. Their eyes are bloodshot and their cheeks are flushed. They are exchanging the most evil and happy thumbs up. A wallpaper of hearts is behind them as they indulge in the sight and their innermost fantasies.
Yaoyorozu sinks to the ground in misery and Uraraka instantly crouches down to comfort her. Jiro throws her pom-poms onto the ground while Hagakure still remains a bundle of joy. On the other hand, Hotaru starts making her way towards her two so called "friends." She needs to handle this smoothly and ethically. Shocking them right here and now will only be doing more harm to herself than them.
They turn to her instantly, their eyes giving her voluptuous figure a brief once-over. She smiles sweetly at them, her pigtails swishing as she jogs over to close the distance. Once she comes to a stop before them, she brings her hands to her hips.
"You look amazing, Taru-chan! Your hair is super cute, too." Kaminari compliments.
"Ten out of ten." Mineta gives her a double thumbs up.
"Really?" She laughs lightly. "Thank you."
Her cheeks become rose dusted as she takes steps even closer to them. Blood starts to seep from Mineta's nostrils and Kaminari gets nervous at her close proximity. The kindness she's displaying… something doesn't feel right. He catches a glimpse of her treacherous silver orbs and becomes frozen in fear.
She's close to him, and if he moves even the tiniest bit his body will be pressing against hers. He swallows forcefully when she drapes her arm over his shoulder. She brings her pom-pom by her face, shielding her lips that are right by his ear so no one can read her words. She whispers to him in an angelic tone.
"I'll let you enjoy this for now. But, know this. If there weren't so many witnesses, you would be in an unbelievable amount of pain right now. I'm very angry. I've been in a bad mood all day. When this is all said and done, you can expect a present from me. Look forward to it. Pass the message along for me, will you?"
After that, she leans away from him with a blinding smile. She pats his shoulder and waves at Mineta, turning and walking back towards her cheerleading friends. Mineta stares after her with a slack jaw before looking at a pale Kaminari.
"What did she say?" He quickly asks. Kaminari tells him, and he wails.
As Hotaru walks away from them, she wraps her arms tightly around her midsection and uses her pom-poms as if they are shields. Her cheeks are angrily flushed and her eyes glare at the ground. This isn't even funny. What kind of joke is this supposed to be? It's humiliating and nobody is laughing. She wants to shock them so badly.
Everyone starts to gather around when Midnight begins making preparations to announce the next and final game of this festival. Her and her deceived friends stick close to one another, feeling much more secure that way. If Hotaru were standing alone, she wouldn't know what she would do. However, even though they are standing in a group, they are still drawing so much attention.
"This is embarrassing…" Yaoyorozu sighs to herself, making a wry face. "Why do I always get caught up in Mineta-san's schemes?"
"At least they look like they regret it." Ashido says as she looks at the two uptight guys. "What did you say to them, Taru-chan?"
"Something that will make them think twice if they try to do something like this again." She answers, making the girls snicker. With an agitated frown at this whole situation they've been caught up in, she tucks some strands of hair behind her ear.
"When the recreational activities are over, the sixteen from the four teams that made it to the final round will duke it out tournament style, one-on-one!" Present Mic exclaims.
That revelation makes her let out a surprised gasp. Quickly, she peers up at the big screen that's displaying an empty tournament bracket. The final round is a literal one-on-one battle? She's not sure how to feel about that.
Battling is something she's familiar with. It's something she's done frequently as a villain. So, she's definitely not nervous about engaging in one. What she's most uncertain about is who exactly she'll have to fight. She just hopes that it's not him. Please, don't let it be him.
"Now, let's draw lots to determine the bracket." Midnight speaks with a smile, obviously eager about the upcoming battles. "Once the bracket is determined, we'll have the recreational games and then start! The sixteen finalists can choose whether or not they want to participate in the recreation. I'm sure some of you want to rest or save your strength. Now, from the first-place team—"
"Um…! Excuse me." Ojiro interrupts, raising his hand. He looks distressed. "I'm withdrawing."
"What?" Hotaru breathes out in shock, gazing at him worriedly.
Surprisingly, he's not the only one who wishes to withdraw. Someone named Shoda from Class B announces the same thing, and for the very same reason. They can't remember the cavalry battle. They feel like they didn't compete at all. They feel like they didn't do anything at all. They don't think they are worthy to move on… all because of someone's quirk.
Hotaru carefully looks over at Shinso who has their back to them, as if he's trying not to draw attention to himself. Her lips downturn while her brows furrow. The grip she has on her pom-poms grow so rigid that her knuckles turn white. He brainwashed them? Sadness and irritation is what she feels at that.
Midnight accepts Ojiro's and Shoda's withdrawal, their youthful talk flattering her to the max. Due to their withdrawal, two more people have to move up and claim their spots. Those two people are Class B's Tetsutetsu and Shiozaki. Tetsutetsu she recognizes as the bold guy who was yelling when everyone came to visit her class, and Shiozaki is the vine girl that eliminated Kaminari. And now,
The drawing of lots is complete.
She searches for her name on the bracket, her pulse raising in her ears. The organ in her chest is thudding so wildly she can feel it. It's almost as if it's trying to burst through her ribcage. She takes in a deep breath to calm herself right when she locates her name.
Her first opponent is Shiozaki. If she wins, she'll end up fighting against either Iida or Hatsume. If she wins again, she'll either have to fight Midoriya, Shinso, Sero, or...
An unpleasant chill shoots down her spine, followed by goosebumps sprouting across her skin. Like a fuzzy camera lens, Shoto's name blurs in and out. Out of all the people she could have the chance of fighting, why is he one of them? He's the one person she didn't want to fight. She doesn't even think she can bring herself to fight him. Her palms become sweaty.
If they do face each other, it will be in the semi-finals. That's a whole three matches in. Them actually going against one another isn't certain. It might not happen. Maybe someone will eliminate him. Maybe someone will eliminate her. Either way, she definitely doesn't want to fight him. But, looking at who he's going up against, and who she's going up against, she can't help but tremble. Something in her gut is telling her that she can't avoid him.
Shoto's strong. She thinks he's the strongest here. Him getting eliminated isn't likely at all. She's not underestimating his opponents and calling them weak; she simply views Shoto as more powerful. The only person she can see possibly beating him is Midoriya. Although he gets severe injuries when he uses his quirk, the power of it is no joke. Despite that, even though he may have a chance of winning, that chance is slim. Very slim from her judgement at least.
On the other hand, regarding herself, she doesn't plan on going down easily. She doesn't know much about Shiozaki. Her fighting style is a mystery, and all she knows is that she can manipulate the vines on her head. Whether she'll be problematic or not is something she can't say for certain just yet.
Hatsume doesn't seem like she'll pose a problem. She relies primarily on her support items from what she's seen, and she can easily devastate those. The only person she can say will be a problem is Iida.
He's fast and he can maintain high speeds much longer than she can, and that worries her. She'll have to think of a way to counter that. She will find a way to counter that. She doesn't want to get eliminated. Yet, she doesn't want to fight Shoto even more.
Fighting him scares her, and not because she's scared of losing against him. His glaring eyes frighten her, and his piercing words shake her. After everything that happened thus far today just looking at him discourages her. If she fights him and wins, will he hate her again? If she fights him and loses, will he slander her even more? She doesn't know what to do. She doesn't know if she can avoid this.
As if on cue, she catches sight of him. He's making his way towards her with a severe gaze. She swallows forcefully and stares at the ground like that will stop his advance somehow. It doesn't work.
He comes to a stop next to her and sweat glides down her temple. His shadow is within her sight. Her features tremble and she freezes from head to toe when she hears his unrelenting voice.
"Aihara."
The wind blows and ruffles up her hair. She watches as her skirt flutters in the breeze elegantly like a dance. The grip she has on her pom-poms grows even tighter and they make a rustling sound. One of her pigtail's brushes against her face. Suddenly, she grows unbelievably pale when realization dawns on her.
"I—" Shoto starts to say, and she swiftly cuts him off.
"D-Don't look at me!"
Her pom-poms are suddenly shoved into his face. In his now blinded state, he can only make out a bright yellow. His lips press together firmly, but he turns around and respects her wish to her surprise.
"I just wanted to tell you to try your best." He reveals, and her breath hitches. "Don't lose."
Is he encouraging her? He's been trying to shove her down into the dirt all day. Why is he suddenly saying such things? Like ripples atop a pond, the organ in her chest quakes. She stares at the back of his head with glossy eyes. Has he calmed down?
"R-Right. You too—"
"Make it to the semi-finals. Because out of everyone here, you're the one I want to fight most."
What?
He wants to fight her? He hasn't calmed down at all. Once again, she just fooled herself.
"Why?" She whispers, and he answers instantly.
"It should be obvious."
"Well, it's not. So, spell it out for me!" She bites out, glaring at him with blurry vision.
He doesn't answer her, nor does he walk away. Then, it hits her. That day. All of a sudden, she's flooded with memories from that day. The day she became a villain. The day their friendship fell apart. The day they made their hatred for each other clear. She ducks her head.
"...Do you still hate me?" She inquires weakly, and he answers after a pause.
"I don't like you."
"That's… disappointing." She takes a backwards step from him, her eyes shining vacantly. "When you stopped me from going after Aizawa-sensei during the villain attack, when you called out my name, when you saved my life afterwards, when you froze those bullies for me, when you texted me to get well soon, when you helped me to the nurse's office… Tell me… why did you do all of that?"
Silence.
"Did you feel nothing?"
No answer.
"Did you only do those things because it would make you look bad if you didn't?"
A ringing in her ears.
"I see. I understand you hate your dad and his presence here is making you all riled up. But, you can't even blame him anymore. Prove him wrong? Please."
"What?" He bites out.
"You're letting yourself be his puppet. How could you prove him wrong when you act just like him?"
The moment he turns around, her pom-poms fly into his face. She threw them at him and now she's walking away. He remains stunned for a few seconds before his teeth grit.
"Aihara, you—!" He growls out, and she comes to a stop instantly while managing to silence him with a single look.
She turns around with dark tempestuous eyes. It's like he's staring into the eye of a perilous hurricane. They are flashing dangerously, shrunken and dark. The whole stadium can feel her menacing aura.
"'Aihara-san.'" She corrects in a chilling tone that makes him grow tense. "If you're going to address me, do it with respect. If you can't respect me, don't even fucking address me. No longer am I…" Her teeth bare as she turns away from him. "...going to allow myself to be mistreated by you."
•○●○•
The recreational games begin the moment Hotaru enters her waiting room. She slams the door behind her which results in a loud bang, then pulling the ribbons from her hair which makes her tresses tumble over her face. Violently, she hurls the ribbons to the ground before letting out a harrowing scream that rattles her insides.
She breathes heavily with sweat dripping from her chin. She falls backwards against the door with fists so tight crescent shapes form in her palms. What the hell? She really was delusional this whole time. He confirmed all her doubts.
She's so angry she's shaking and breathing like a bull. She risked her life. She was a villain. She walked away from her family. She defended him. After everything she's done for him, he acts like this?
Of course, she doesn't expect him to grovel at her feet. After all, he didn't ask her to do all these things. She did them of her own accord. However, for him to be acting like this sets her on fire. He should at least show some respect. How selfish can he get?
He hates her for being a villain, but he sure is doing a fantastic job at bringing that dark side of her to the surface. It's like taunting a starving lion with a piece of meat, and as a result she snapped. She didn't want to, but she did.
He wants to fight her. Fine. She'll respond in kind. She can't wait to fight him. She can't wait to return all this pain tenfold. She said she would beat him, so she will.
A vibrating sound catches her attention, and she looks ahead at her phone that's nearly about to fall off the table. When she left, it was in the center of the table. Has it been vibrating this whole time?
With heavy steps, she walks over and picks it up. It's an unknown number. An unknown number that has called her over a hundred times and left her a voicemail for each time. A number that's been sending her countless text messages. Who the hell is this? Her teeth grit and she answers it angrily.
"What?" She snarls.
"Taru~! You finally answered! Rai, babe, she answered!"
Her heart thuds loudly once before stopping entirely. The blood in her veins turns icy cold. Despite being cold, she's suddenly drenched in sweat. It's such a drastic change it nearly makes her vomit. Her appendages tremble and breathing is nothing but a mystery to her now.
"...M-Mom?"
•○●○•
There was once a koi lying in the prickly grass. It was still and its colorful scales were parched. It must have been out of the water for hours. Yet, even though it's been out of its element for so long, it was still clinging to breath, desperately fighting until the very last second. Using the very last bit of its strength, it managed to flop back into the water and live for many more years. How does she know that? Well, she witnessed it.
They say koi symbolize aspiration. They say they are legendary. A group of koi once tried swimming up a waterfall. All but one gave up despite it being against all odds. It dodged boulders and leaped constantly to fight against the potent current. It did this for nearly a hundred years before it finally reached the top. All of the struggles and trials it endured, along with the never-ending determination and tenacity resulted in the greatest reward. That koi was transformed into a golden dragon.
She was always fond of that folktale.
Hotaru steps out of her waiting room dressed in her gym uniform, closing the door softly behind her. She remains unmoving for a few seconds with her hand still fastened around the doorknob. Her fingers gradually slip away from the sleek metal.
The first match has long passed with Midoriya emerging as the victor. The second match ended recently with Shoto declared the winner. He froze the entire field with a giant wall of ice that ascended higher than the stadium itself. She watched it all on the small and muted TV that resides in the corner of her waiting room. The third match was delayed to clean up his mess, and now it's about to begin—her match.
•
"You're doing well, Taru." Her father compliments through the phone. "All of your training paid off. I'm proud of you. This is your chance."
•
She begins walking slowly down the empty hall, each step she takes resounding. Her eyes, void and obscure stare at the ground. Every single muscle of hers feels cramped and her stomach feels like it's full of lead. The air around her is stagnant and cold. His voice haunts her. Proud? What a blatant lie.
•
"You only need to do one thing. They are both there. Endeavor and his son—end them. Or, just bang them up a little. Do this and I'll overlook all of your disobedient actions. After all, that's what you were made to do."
•
In her next life, she wants to be reborn as a koi fish. Spending her days underwater sounds pleasant. Listening to the air bubbles and the sound of raindrops, the sound of splashes and currents—those will be the only sounds she can hear. The world above is muffled. People… she wouldn't have to deal with them.
She wouldn't even be able to understand them. They wouldn't be able to understand her. They wouldn't even worry about her. Could she be reborn as the fish that turned into a dragon? A being with so much willpower that can overlook every curse thrown her way? That sounds like an ideal life. Living without worrying. Living without fearing.
•
"No? You still revolt against me? Let me tell you what's going to happen as soon as you walk out on that stage."
•
The moment she turns down a different path, she is consumed by shadows. A long and dark hallway is what she now stands in, and at the very end is the luminous exit that leads out to the stage. She comes to a brief standstill and focuses on the light. It's far away.
Present Mic's booming voice reaches her ears along with the audience's cheers. He's already introducing her opponent to the crowd. That makes her start walking again. She's behind. She should've been here earlier. Yet, she's completely lax. Whether she's here or not, it doesn't even matter.
The light is near, and the sun's rays hit her. It batters her as if she's something nocturnal, attempting to force her back into the shadows. She squints and raises her hand to shield her eyes. This beautiful light is so distasteful all of a sudden, and she finds out why that is instantly.
She hears them before she steps out into the open. She hears them before her name is even called. All of those ornery voices, all of those loud boos, they make her stay rooted in the shadows instead of heading out to the battlefield.
•
"Those heroes will demean you. They hated you before, and they hate you more now. They don't want anything to do with you—a villain. You're worth nothing to them. You belong to me, Taru. Wake up from this pointless fantasy."
•
Act as a hero and she gets reprimanded. Act as a villain and she gets denounced. Simply show her face and she gets admonished. Try her best and it's a crime. Her parents made sure of that. Her parents… they won.
Their voices won't go away. Their voices blend in with the booing she's receiving. She doesn't want to hear it. It stings like a thousand bees. The world of light she was brought into is trying to shut her out, and that dark world she escaped from is trying to drag her back. If only she could get away.
Slowly, she brings her hands over her ears and shuts her eyes, blindly walking out into the open. Her hands are pressed against her ears so forcefully she can hear a ringing noise, but that ringing can't block out everything. She still hears them. The sun shines through her closed eyelids, resulting in her seeing blood red. She can't get away.
•
"You don't care? Taru, this isn't you. You're a villain standing in the hero world. Do you know what that makes you? A sham. Nothing more, nothing less. You can't be a hero and now you're about to realize that in the most brutal way."
•
What would happen if she turns around and goes back inside? What would happen if she didn't show up at all? Where would she be right now… if she stayed missing after the villain attack? She can't help but wonder. Her eyelids clamp together more tightly. Being here doesn't feel right.
"T-The entire stadium is booing?!" Present Mic stutters out, looking at the audience in panic. "That's not nice, you know!"
"Leave my sexy woman alone!" Mineta wails, waving his fists everywhere from the Class A seating section.
"Seriously? This is the last thing she needs right now!" Kaminari's teeth grit as he recalls her current goal she told him about.
"Aihara-san…!" Midoriya gazes at her worriedly along with the rest of his class.
"What's this?! Someone from Class A is getting booed?! Haha! What's up with that?!" Monoma laughs hysterically from afar.
A shadow covers Hotaru when a stray cloud blocks the sun. Her eyes slowly crack open to stare at it. The warm air suddenly turns cold. It's sheltering her from the light. Her hands fall away from her ears and she comes to a stop, only having made it halfway to the stage. The voices are tearing her apart from the inside out.
Her silver eyes look over at the audience, their bright color contrasting greatly against the shadow that's over her. Is being here wrong? Everything she does is wrong. What do they expect her to do then, if nothing she does is right?
The wind blows and dishevels her hair, also making the blades of grass sway violently. Her heart pounds loudly and abnormally fast. Soon, it's all she can hear. Her knuckles are a bright white and her irises shrink. Something in her is swelling and spreading like poison.
That stray cloud is moving and releasing her from the dark prison. The moment sunlight kisses at her flesh once again, her teeth bare and she opens her mouth. Instead of her voice spewing outwards, someone else's does. Someone that instantly calms her. Someone she couldn't be here without. Her eyes instantly find his dark ones.
"How can you call yourselves Pros when you act so insolently? Showing so much contempt before the match has even begun? She's not here for what you think. She may have been a villain before, but her presence here should speak for itself. True Pros should be able to act considerately. If you can't do that, reconsider your occupation." Aizawa asserts.
The booing of the crowd quiets down aside from a few. The anger that was building up inside of her is washed away with a large wave of sadness. Aizawa-sensei. She stares at him while fighting against the tremble of her lower lip. He stares right back at her, reassuring her. When she starts to look away, she's suddenly staring into unreadable mismatched eyes.
He's not in the Class A seating section and somewhere entirely different. Instead of sitting down, he's leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He's gazing right at her. She turns away from him quickly, continuing towards the stage.
•
"You think you can be a hero? Ha. Fine. Go ahead and try. While you're at it, for every bruise you inflict upon your opponents, and for every drop of blood you spill, think about me. Think about how you've done that countless times. You claim you won't hurt anyone, but, you're going to have to. I'll be watching you closely as you use my teachings."
•
"A-Alright, let's try this again." Present Mic sweat-drops when he gets the microphone back from Aizawa. "The assassin from Class B! Pretty things have thorns, you know! From the hero course, it's Ibara Shiozaki! Versus!"
Hotaru finally walks up the stairs and onto the stage, staring across at her opponent who's been standing there waiting for a few minutes now. Shiozaki. Their eyes lock together and the audience roars, evidently for Shiozaki.
"The angel that crossed over from the dark side! But, don't mess with this angel or else lightning will strike!" Present Mic introduces her to the crowd. Aizawa brings his bandaged hand over his face at that introduction. "From the hero course, Hotaru Aihara! Yeah! Now, we'll have a super flashy battle this time too—!"
"Um…" Shiozaki interrupts him with her naturally kind voice, her hand raised. "Please excuse the interruption. What do you mean by 'assassin?' I have only come to find victory, not to take my opponent's life."
"I-I'm sorry!" Present Mic stutters, obviously caught off-guard.
"In the first place, I wished to enter U.A. High School not for wicked reasons…" She brings her hands together as if she's praying, rays of sunlight caressing her. "...but for the salvation of others."
"I said I'm sorry! My bad, okay?!" Present Mic pleads desperately.
"I thank you for your understanding." She smiles, bowing in utmost respect before facing Hotaru once more.
Hotaru watches as she moves back towards her starting position. Her lips are downturned slightly as sweat glides down her temple. She swallows forcefully. It's almost like there is an angel and devil on stage.
"They are polar opposites, huh?" Tokoyami murmurs to himself.
"It doesn't get any more contrasting than that." Kirishima blinks, staring between the two of them. "What do you think of this match-up, Midoriya?"
"It's hard to say. I don't know the details of Shiozaki's quirk, but I think it will come down to speed." He answers.
"If it's speed, then Aihara-san has the upper hand." Iida grins with a thumbs up.
"Yeah." Sato nods.
"She's got this in the bag!" Kaminari clenches his fists in excitement, focusing on the match that's about to begin.
Hotaru's shoulders rise as she draws in a deep breath, only lowering when she exhales. She's just going to focus on winning this match, nothing else. Her father's voice that's swarming inside her head, she's ignoring it. The glaring eyes in the audiences, she's overlooking it. All of her doubts, she's casting them aside, to prove her old man wrong.
"Shit…" She murmurs under her breath, her bangs covering her eyes. She was slandering Shoto for having the thoughts she's currently having. Her lips twitch upwards. She should've just kept her mouth shut, as always.
"A-Anyways, start!" Present Mic calls out.
Immediately, Hotaru extends her hand and sparks emit from her fingertips. A vigorous blue strike shoots towards Shiozaki. With a profound calmness, she brings her hands together in prayer and turns around.
The vines on Shiozaki's head grow swiftly and detach, creating a large shield that blocks her lightning strike. Hotaru's eyes widen and she gasps. Cracks are forming in the concrete ground and closing in on her rapidly. What? She takes a backwards step when multiple vines burst from the ground. Her teeth grit and she discharges lightning to counter, but it's a futile attempt.
Like a snake, the vines coil around her. The thorns instantly dig into her flesh and she lets out a painful cry. Her body is raised off of the ground before she can even blink, and the vines fasten around her body from her shoulders down. She can't move.
"What?!" Present Mic yells, standing up in a flash and burying his hands in his hair. Hotaru grows deathly pale. "It was decided in an instant?!"
~ Next Chapter Sneak Peek:
❤•○●○•❤
Premonition
❤•○●○•❤
She didn't want it to end quite like this. Her whole body is on fire and her clothing is tattered. There wasn't much she could do at all. It was a terrible match up and she was at a disadvantage the whole time. She didn't think Shiozaki would be so problematic. She completely underestimated her. Perhaps she was the one she should've been most worried about. Her silver eyes stare at the ground as she walks off the stage.
Oh well.
The audience views her as a villain, anyway.
